The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday confirmed the rape charge against Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Unnao. The probe agency found that Sengar raped the minor girl at his home in Makhi village on 4 June in 2017, as has been alleged by the victim.

The CBI probe revealed that the rape happened while Shashi Singh, Sengar’s female accomplice, stood guard outside the room.

Citing sources, the TOI reports that the local police did not name Sengar and the other accused in an FIR filed on 20 June and the chargesheet that was filed later. According to the report, the police “deliberately” and “in connivance” delayed the victim’s medical examination and didn’t send the vaginal swab or her clothes to the forensic laboratory.

“The girl was raped on 4 June by the MLA after she was brought to his house by Shashi Singh on the pretext of providing her a job. Between 4 June and 10 June, the girl didn’t speak as she had been threatened,” the TOI reported citing a source.

“On June 11, she was abducted by three persons — Shubham Singh, Awadh Narayan and Brijesh Yadav. From June 11 till 19, the girl was kept mostly in an SUV and repeatedly gang-raped by these three while on the move,” it added.

The CBI has reportedly recorded the victim’s statement before a magistrate under CrPC Section 164, which is admissible in court as evidence. The victim stood by all her accusations.

All the accused, including Sengar, were arrested by the CBI on 13-14 April. Sengar was taken into custody after intense questioning for 16 hours by a CBI team at its office on Naval Kishore Road in Lucknow.

Read More: Unnao rape case: CBI arrests BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar

The CBI was handed over the case by the UP government after an uproar over the alleged effort by the Unnao police to save the BJP MLA.

On 15 April, a court granted the probe agency a week-long remand of Sengar.

Read More: BJP MLA Sengar sent to 7-day CBI custody

On 8 May both Sengar and Shashi were shifted to Sitapur jail following a petition by the rape victim before the Allahabad High Court. Atul Singh, the BJP legislator’s brother, and four other co-accused are still lodged in Unnao jail.

The strongman from Unnao’s Bangarmau, from where he won in the 2017 legislative elections, Sengar is also accused of conspiring to kill the victim’s father, who died of injuries after he was beaten brutally in police custody by Sengar’s brother and some aides.